Hotel fire in India's capital leaves at least 21 dead.

According to local officials, the fire broke out at around 8:50 a.m. at the restaurant of the Flourish Stay hotel, believed to be located in the basement of the five-story building. The flames then spread to the adjacent Micasa Inn hotel.

Immediately after receiving an emergency call from the densely populated residential area, home to many students and young workers, the fire department dispatched two fire trucks, two water tankers, a rapid response vehicle, and other support units to the scene. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Videos shared on social media show many people smashing windows and jumping from high floors to the ground to escape. Rescue workers laid mattresses below to reduce injuries to the victims.

A witness said they saw between four and six people jump from the burning building. According to the witness, one victim appeared to have broken their leg after the fall.

The Flourish Stay hotel, located in a narrow alley in the Hauz Rani area, has approximately 25 rooms. Most guests are believed to have been asleep when the fire broke out.

According to sources, Flourish Stay was licensed by the Delhi authorities to operate as a bed and breakfast (B&B) with a maximum capacity of 6 rooms. However, the establishment is believed to have operated up to 25 rooms, including those in the basement.

Authorities are also currently verifying whether the hotel has a No Objection Certificate (NOC) regarding fire safety.

Another issue that was noted was that the hotel had only one entrance and exit, which may have hampered evacuation efforts when the fire broke out.

Kesar Singh, a chef working at the Micasa Inn, said that at around 8 a.m., as he was preparing to turn on the electric stove, he suddenly discovered a fire. He recounted that in a short time, the flames had spread throughout the hotel.

"I immediately alerted my assistant that the hotel was on fire," he said. When he ran outside, he realized the entire building was engulfed in flames. "When I stepped outside, I saw the whole hotel was on fire. Luckily, I managed to escape," he recounted.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the incident as a "tragedy" and announced a support payment of 200,000 rupees to the family of each deceased victim.

He also offered condolences to the families who lost loved ones and wished the injured victims a speedy recovery. According to an announcement from the Prime Minister's Office, those injured will receive 50,000 rupees in assistance.

Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said she was "deeply saddened" by the loss of life caused by the fires.

She offered her condolences to the families of the victims and wished those injured a speedy recovery. According to her, immediately after receiving information about the incident, Delhi Fire Service, Delhi Police, Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), CATS ambulance service, and other emergency response units were mobilized to the scene.

The Chief Minister of Delhi said the swift response of authorities helped rescue and evacuate many people from the dangerous area. The city government is closely monitoring the situation and is committed to providing all necessary medical and relief assistance to affected families.